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Benin’s president has addressed the nation on television, assuring citizens that the situation was “totally under control” following an attempted coup earlier in the day.
“I would like to commend the sense of duty demonstrated by our army and its leaders, who have remained… loyal to the nation,” Patrice Talon stated during the live evening broadcast, appearing composed.
The government announced it had successfully thwarted the mutiny, hours after a group of soldiers declared a takeover via national television.
Later in the afternoon, significant explosions were reported in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city and the seat of government, believed to be the result of an air strike.
Prior to the explosions, flight-tracking data indicated that three aircraft entered Benin’s airspace from neighboring Nigeria before returning.
A spokesperson for Nigeria’s president subsequently confirmed that fighter jets had entered Benin to “take over the airspace to help dislodge the coup plotters from the national TV and a military camp where they had regrouped”.
The attempted coup in Benin followed a series of such events in West Africa, raising concerns about the region’s security stability.
Benin, a former French colony, has historically been considered one of Africa’s more stable democracies, although President Talon has faced accusations of suppressing criticism of his administration.
The nation is a major cotton producer on the continent, though it remains among the world’s poorest countries.
Nigeria, Benin’s larger neighbor to the east, has characterized the coup attempt as a “direct assault on democracy.”
President Talon, 67, stated in his address that loyalist forces had “cleared the last pockets of resistance held by the mutineers.”
“This commitment and mobilization enabled us to defeat these opportunists and avert disaster for our country. This treachery will not go unpunished,” he added.
“I would like to reassure you that the situation is completely under control and therefore invite you to go about your business peacefully this evening.”
The extent of casualties remains unclear, but the president expressed his condolences “to the victims of this senseless adventure, as well as to those still being held by fleeing mutineers.”
Earlier, Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji, a government spokesperson, told Reuters that 14 individuals had been apprehended in connection with the attempted coup.
A journalist in Benin informed the BBC that, of those reportedly arrested, 12 are thought to have stormed the national TV station, including a previously dismissed soldier.
Eyewitnesses recounted to the BBC hearing gunfire near the presidential residence early Sunday morning, as a group of soldiers announced on national TV the suspension of the constitution.
They also reported that some journalists working for the state broadcaster were held hostage for several hours.
The French and Russian embassies advised their citizens to remain indoors, while the US embassy recommended staying away from Cotonou, particularly the area surrounding the presidential compound.
The rebel soldiers, led by Lt Col Pascal Tigri, justified their actions by criticizing Talon’s governance, citing concerns over the handling of “the continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin.”
Benin’s army has suffered loses near its northern border with insurgency-hit Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years, as jihadist militants linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda spread southwards.
The soldier’s statement cited “the ignorance and neglect of the situation of our brothers in arms who have fallen at the front and, above all, that of their families, abandoned to their sad fate by Mr Patrice Talon’s policies”.
The rebels also criticized cuts in healthcare, including the cancellation of state-funded kidney dialysis, tax increases, and restrictions on political activities.
Talon, considered a close ally of the West, is scheduled to step down next year after serving his second term, with elections planned for April.
A businessman known as the “king of cotton,” he first assumed power in 2016. He pledged not to seek a third term, despite Benin’s current two-term limit for presidencies, and has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor.
Talon has been lauded by his supporters for his role in overseeing economic development, but his government has also faced criticism for suppressing dissenting voices.
In October, Benin’s electoral commission barred the main opposition candidate from participating in the election, citing insufficient sponsors.
Last month, constitutional amendments were approved by MPs, including the creation of a second parliamentary chamber, the Senate.
Terms for elected officials were extended from five to seven years, while the presidential two-term limit remained unchanged.
Sunday’s attempted coup occurred shortly after Guinea-Bissau’s President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was overthrown, although some regional sources have questioned the authenticity of this event.
In recent years, West Africa has experienced coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger, prompting concerns regarding regional stability.
Russia has strengthened its ties with these Sahel countries in recent years – and Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have left the West African regional bloc Ecowas to form their own group, the Alliance of Sahel States.
According to BBC Monitoring, news of the attempted takeover in Benin was celebrated by several pro-Russian social media accounts.
Ecowas and the African Union (AU) have both denounced the coup attempt.
Ecowas has announced that a contingent from its standby force will be deployed to preserve the “constitutional order and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Benin.”
AU Commission chair Mahmoud Ali Yousouf reiterated the pan-African organisation’s “zero tolerance stance toward any unconstitutional change of government, regardless of context or justification.”
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
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